[starscream5000]

He has an auto everybody, not a manual

 

[Sparks91]

Yeah at some point i realized i was getting short shifter info, its a little auto >.> is it safe to say most of this info is incorrect ? lol

 

[starscream5000]

Yeah at some point i realized i was getting short shifter info, its a little auto >.> is it safe to say most of this info is incorrect ? lol

Yeah, most of this talk shouldn't apply to issues you're having with the shifter linkages and bushings. I can't imagine that there's any linkage for the auto going through the firewall and into the console area. That part should all be electronic. The linkage the service techs are talking about should all be on top of the transmission, under the hood.

 

[youngsmith53]

Yeah at some point i realized i was getting short shifter info, its a little auto >.> is it safe to say most of this info is incorrect ? lol

@Sparks91 I'm sorry I didn't read more into it yesterday. I got tagged, I saw the thread, I figured it was another shifter linkage issue with a manual. As far as the cables with the power-tech, I haven't messed around with the linkage or cables (don't fix what ain't broke (lol) I know this doesn't apply in your case) other than what I can see with the schematics. If it is indeed #68164081AB from what the dealer told you, it wouldn't be covered under warranty since it is a part of the transmission. @Kellym and or @Moparian could you upload or at least point us in the right direction with the "official" service manual on how to replace the power-tech shifter cable?

 

[Sparks91]

@youngsmith53 nono this was actually my fault, i didnt mention it at all until halfway through the thread and then i didn't even think of it until i read some more, so i edited a post(which some of you may have missed, because it was an edit). I think i assumed i had the car info in my siggy(which i didnt), but it doesnt even show what transmission i have even if i did).
@starscream5000 you're referring to the Dodge tech's? So there isn't anything to do around my actual shifter in the cabin then? I should be looking under my hood? Last night i removed the PRND plate and tried looking under for a bushing and i couldn't see anything at all. Are you telling me all i had to do was pop the hood? The tech kept saying "the bushing broke" and you can't get it by itself, so they have to replace the whole cable(though aftermarket you can buy the bushing by itself online) Furthermore, when i picked up the car the person who gave me back my car said the tech earlier had to move it from reverse to drive/neutral from under the hood. so does anyone know there is some sort of switch i can move to switch it to drive?

 

[youngsmith53]

@youngsmith53 nono this was actually my fault, i didnt mention it at all until halfway through the thread and then i didn't even think of it until i read some more, so i edited a post(which some of you may have missed, because it was an edit). I think i assumed i had the car info in my siggy(which i didnt), but it doesnt even show what transmission i have even if i did).
@starscream5000 you're referring to the Dodge tech's? So there isn't anything to do around my actual shifter in the cabin then? I should be looking under my hood? Last night i removed the PRND plate and tried looking under for a bushing and i couldn't see anything at all. Are you telling me all i had to do was pop the hood? The tech kept saying "the bushing broke" and you can't get it by itself, so they have to replace the whole cable(though aftermarket you can buy the bushing by itself online) Furthermore, when i picked up the car the person who gave me back my car said the tech earlier had to move it from reverse to drive/neutral from under the hood. so does anyone know there is some sort of switch i can move to switch it to drive?

@Sparks91, what @starscream5000 is referencing is the following:

It does look like from the schematics the cable that is broke is somehow fed under the shifter assembly and through the firewall out towards the top of the transmission (IF it is indeed 68164081AB). I'll try and dig up what I can however I can to see how to replace the cable itself, it shouldn't be too hard, but stranger things have happen with how the Dart was engineered...

 

[starscream5000]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to @youngsmith53 again.

That's what i get for assuming that the Dart's auto shifter isn't all electronic, like my old Dodge Charger and my current Dodge Durango are, lol.

 

[starscream5000]

View attachment 57844
@Sparks91 pop the hood on your car and look for that cable in the pic above. Then look for that plate floating right above the pic of the transmission. See that "U" shaped part on that plate? I bet the end of the shifter cable fits in right there and is held in place by a grommet. I bet that's the grommet that broke that the tech was talking about. When that cable isn't secured to that plate and you go to move your shifter, the cable is just going to flop around everywhere without actually engaging any gears. If my guess is correct, you should be able to do a temp fix by securing that cable to the bracket with some wire, or heavy duty string until you can find a similar replacement grommet at an autozone or O'Reillys for cheap $

 

[youngsmith53]

@starscream5000 it's all underneath the battery tray and hidden. I've looked, it's like Dodge was ashamed of the powertech and made it hidden when you pop the hood. The best bet is to pull off the driver side tire and go through the wheel well to get at the transmission. I'll be doing that tomorrow as I attempt to get the transmission cooler on before the end of the year and while it's 50*F out in the garage. I'll try and get some good pics for @Sparks91 & the community while I'm in that area of the engine bay.

 

[Sparks91]

The tech gave me that number so i'm assuming it IS at least that i hope. Unfortunately i haven't been able to put my eye balls on the problem itself so i can only base it off what the tech said. To rerefresh, the problem is that the transmission won't shift into a different gear. I started the car, put the stick itself into drive, and the transmission decided to plant itself in "R". On attempting to move the stick i could, however the transmission would not shift accordingly, leading to me being able to have the stick itself in "P" and the transmission reading "R".
On taking it to the dealer, and getting it back, they now have the car in "N", assuming so they could move it easier without breaking anything, what exactly they did to get it to change into neutral i dont know, the attendant who gave me the car said the tech just reached under the hood though and did something.

Assuming what the tech said is right and my bushing is just broken, i should just need to place a new bushing in i'd imagine? Either where it clicks onto the transmission, or where it connects to the shifter itself. No clue which end the bushing is broken on, but in the picture it look's like both ends are the same. The bushing i bought is from "Bushingfix". It should arrive tomorrow or thursday at the latest.
Sooo....the transmission in the darts....i'm only asking because i'm at work and I can't walk over and see it right now, where exactly is it in the bay? Just to save some time later

Also the key has been stuck in the car this entire time, since the car isn't in park i can't get it out.

 

[pkgmsu2000]

if the key is stuck in the car, is it draining your battery right now???

 

[Sparks91]

Well then, looks like you guys already covered that then I'm not with the car now, I towed it nearby to my uncles house and am currently plodding around in my semi-broken down 92 camaro. I Thought it was a good idea to keep the camaro for the future when i can work on it, i never thought it would become my driver again while i still owned a relatively new dart I'll take a look at it tomorrow afternoon, makes me feel better knowing that the transmission isn't clearly in front of you haha. Would love and appreciate the pic's youngsmith, i may go through the battery tray though , pending how your pic's look. It looks like the cables on top of the transmission and i think i really just need to find out which end it's broken/disconnected.

 

[starscream5000]

@Sparks91 the tech reached under the battery area where @youngsmith53 indicated the shifter cable was located and pulled on the cable by hand to make the transmission shift to a different gear, or pulled on the part that the end of the cable attaches to. It looks like it's a ball and socket connection.

The transmission is on the right-hand side as you're looking at the engine under the hood.

 

[Sparks91]

if the key is stuck in the car, is it draining your battery right now???

No, everytime i leave the car i grab my manual key out of the FOB, pop my hood, lock and close all of my door's manually, and unhook the battery. 1. so it doesnt kill the battery, and 2 so no one thinks of going by a car with interior lights on and decides to attempt to steal it. Who knows, random car thief might know how to change it into drive by hand and then i'd be screwed even more.

 

[youngsmith53]

Sooo....the transmission in the darts....i'm only asking because i'm at work and I can't walk over and see it right now, where exactly is it in the bay? Just to save some time later

When you pop the hood, the power-tech is underneath the battery and the fuse box on the right side of the engine bay. It's quite hidden in there as I mentioned before to look at the transmission itself the best bet it to go through the driver side wheel well to check out the transmission itself.

Just for S's & G's, have you pulled off the shifter knob and checked the shifter assembly:

that white plastic piece must be "pulled up" when the brake is pressed to put it into "P". Then once the brake is released and it is in the "P" position it will stay locked in. It's all due to the button on the knob itself. Something might be up with that piece and the whole "shifter assembly". I have one in a box in the garage that I am planning on doing some R&D on, let me see what I can find out for ya when I get home as well...

 

[Sparks91]

When you pop the hood, the power-tech is underneath the battery and the fuse box on the right side of the engine bay. It's quite hidden in there as I mentioned before to look at the transmission itself the best bet it to go through the driver side wheel well to check out the transmission itself.

Thanks Yeah i typed up that question literally when you must have been, i was just a bit slower. I haven't pulled off the shifter knob however, i couldn't figure it out, my other car just had a clip in the side to remove and the knob just came right off. Judging by the picture, is it like a twist off...? Last night all i did was remove the PRND plate according to the manual to 'override shifter' there's a white piece of plastic to push down on to put it in neutral, but that didn't work. I'll remove the knob though tonight or tomorrow.

If no one's told you guys today, you're all great.

 

[youngsmith53]

Thanks Yeah i typed up that question literally when you must have been, i was just a bit slower. I haven't pulled off the shifter knob however, i couldn't figure it out, my other car just had a clip in the side to remove and the knob just came right off. Judging by the picture, is it like a twist off...? Last night all i did was remove the PRND plate according to the manual to 'override shifter' there's a white piece of plastic to push down on to put it in neutral, but that didn't work. I'll remove the knob though tonight or tomorrow.

If no one's told you guys today, you're all great.

Follow this guide on how to remove the knob and to gain access to the rest of the upper shifter assembly:

http://www.dodge-dart.org/forum/red...orum/redlinegoods/18943-redlinegoods-nappa-leather-shift-boot-install-auto.html

The knob isn't a twist off or a pry off (I highly recommend not doing either (lol))... but just follow those above steps and you'll gain access in no time. I wonder if that white plastic 'plunger' isn't the root cause of the issues at this time. That piece works with the whole "shifter assembly" and if it is not in the right position and or damaged I could see how that would prevent you from shifting out of "R" or having it stuck in a given drive.

 

[Sparks91]

Gotcha, I'm actually gonna take a longer lunch today and just go take a look right now. I'm not the most patient person. If i can move the thing into drive, i'd really like to get it back to my side of town, would be tedious to move it in and out of whatever drive function its in, but it would save me time tomorrow.

 

[starscream5000]

Gotcha, I'm actually gonna take a longer lunch today and just go take a look right now. I'm not the most patient person. If i can move the thing into drive, i'd really like to get it back to my side of town, would be tedious to move it in and out of whatever drive function its in, but it would save me time tomorrow.

Pushing forward on the lever atop the transmission all the way should place the car in park. That will allow you start the car, then you can put on the parking brake, and pull the lever three notches back towards the rear of the car to place it in drive.

Edit; corrected the number of times the lever needed to be pulled back to get into drive.

 

[Sparks91]

Got it. The little orange bushing broke on the transmission side. Its physically too tough to move but if you put the cable but it's in correct spot with the shifter, you can then just plop it right back onto the transmission. I put it on and moved it a few times and it's stayed, I'm gonna throw a ziptie on it right now until the bushing comes in tomorrow.

You guys were such a big help. Huge. I had zero shot at fixing this without you.